I Dream of Mousey
by LyraMaeArcher
Summary: Chat is tired. More tired than ever before. How is a cat supposed to get some sleep when there's a beautiful mouse in all of his dreams? A story in which Adrien gets some revelation on the love of his life. For MultiMouse Appreciation Week.
1. Squeaking By

"Detransform."

The word was little more than a mumble mid-collapse onto his bed, Plagg tumbling out beside him. All-night akuma fights were the worst. There had been more than enough of them lately to make Adrien drowsily wonder if Hawkmoth's ultimate plan to defeat them was actually to make them too exhausted to move. It seemed plausible.

A voice in the back of his head that still managed to be conscious nagged about the open window, Plagg's need of cheese, the fact that he was still in his clothes. He didn't even care, weary to the bone. Tomorrow. He'd deal with it all tomorrow.

Never in his life had he hated his alarm so much. Frustration laced the groan that escaped him as he attempted to reach for the offending device. 6 am. Same as every other morning. Habits are hard to kill, even when one felt like lead. Nathalie would be banging on his door soon, confirming his homework was complete and giving him the official schedule for the day.

Plagg seemed unnaturally silent as Adrien pushed himself to get showered and dressed in fresh clothes. Eyeing his kwami with a layer of concern, he wondered if Plagg had maybe binged on the camembert collection in the middle of the night. No explanation seemed plausible for the black cat's silent hovering. It was almost unsettling.

Listening to Nathalie's drone nearly put Adrien back to sleep. School - check. Fencing lesson - check. Akuma - check. He blinked, shaking his head to clear his fuzzy head. There was no way that Nathalie had said akuma. He really needed to pull himself out of this daze.

School seemed to be quiet too, the usual bustle of students subdued to a murmur. Maybe he was more tired than he thought. Slipping into his spot, he settled his books onto his desk and waited for class to begin. Everyone was already there, including Nino - who did nothing more than shoot him a small nod and acknowledging smile. The whole room was an eerie silence that made him shift uncomfortably in his wooden seat.

Marinette wasn't there yet, but that wasn't surprising. Her habit of bursting into class at the last possible second was almost legendary. Admittedly, he kind of enjoyed seeing her arrive all askew, stumbling over herself. It was so inherently Marinette.

She hadn't arrived by class time, Alya shrugging in response to his silent question. Ms. Bustier called for attention as Adrien stared at the door wondering where Marinette could be. It didn't slam open even after attendance was taken, nor when the lecture began. Adrien shifted in his seat, something drawing his focus back to the door over and over. Where could she be?

His brain wandered as the teacher's voice melded into some level of incoherence. More than anything, he hoped that today - tonight - this week - Hawkmoth would back off and allow Ladybug and Chat Noir to rest. Stifling a yawn, his eyes trailed back to the door. It was unusual for Marinette to miss a day of school.

When she arrived, he wasn't prepared, brain sinking into some level of self-preserving daze. The door crashed against the wall, hinges screaming in abuse as Marinette flew through the it, arms clutching around her school books in wide-eyed panic. His heart stuttered to a stop in response to being startled, hand curled to his chest as he attempted to restart it. The pounding in his ears confirmed success as he took in the sight of her.

Her hair was up - the first thing he noticed - bunned up on the top of her head in two neat little coils held in place by soft pink ribbons that matched the trim on her grey and black suit. Even her mask had that gentle tinge of pink in it, outlining the stunning blue of her eyes.

She was adorable.

Sweet.

Alluring.

Sexy.

He wanted her in ways that he never really thought much about before. The purr that settled in his chest embarrassed him, but the way that it made her look at him with wide, blue eyes left him feeling encouraged.

Even as he rose inexplicably to his feet, his thoughts were torn between questioning the absurdness of Marinette dressed as Multimouse in school and the need to get closer. His steps answered the pull, dragging him across the space between them while he considered that maybe Ladybug needed Marinette's help. Maybe Marinette had forgotten to give back the Miraculous before rushing to class? It didn't make sense, but he didn't know if he really cared.

A cat needed a mouse, didn't he? One as adorable as this would make a wonderful playmate. His gloved hand reached up to cup her face, his eyes taking in her innocent expression and soft pale lips. When had he transformed?

The classroom faded away, leaving the two of them standing in the middle of nowhere, in nothing but white oblivion. Was this a dream? Maybe it was.

Her quiet voice asked him to kiss her. How could he to refuse?

One hand slid around her waist, pulling her flush against him in a way that felt just right. She squeaked at the sudden and unexpected movement, tilting her head back to keep her eyes on him. The purr kicked up a notch, vibrations rumbling through his chest under her touch.

Gentle. Warm. Perfect. The only words he could logically think of for the feeling of her lips pressed against his. He let his thumb caress her cheek, taking care not to catch her with his claw.

Marinette.

Why did this feel like something that he'd been missing in his life?

He needed more than this chaste kiss. More of her. More of this. His lips wandered down the line of her jaw while the hand on her back pulled her closer, even closer - melding her curves against him in a way that made it hard to think of anything.

Soft squeaks and breathless gasps at his touch left him whirling. But it was the whispered words, "I want you, kitty" against his ear that rendered him mindless.

A response of desperation fuelled his movements, urging him to claim her lips again with more intention. She responded in kind, setting him on fire, fingers pressing against his chest before sliding up to his hair.

He had no idea when her suit disappeared into her pajamas - the thin strapped tank top leaving so much more of her skin for him to explore - nor how they ended up on the floor with her warmth pressed against his very need. He had no idea how his own suit vanished, only that her hands were under his shirt as his fingers danced against the hem of her own. wild and frantic kisses left him burning from the inside.

Shifting of her hips tore a nearly feral groan from his throat, as he trailed his lips down the soft tenderness of her neck. Another shift against him sent him over the edge, his teeth sinking into the skin, eliciting the perfect squeak from her lips before his hands grasped her hips and rocked against her.

The mouse to his cat. Marinette was his.

Gasping, Adrien sat up on his bed, shoving his hands deep into his hair.

What the hell was that?

He'd never had a dream that real, that ... intense before. Especially about his sweet friend Marinette.

Just thinking her name flashed back dream memories with vivid lifelikeness. The look of her blue eyes against pink and grey. The feel of her skin. The sound of her soft squeaks and breathless moans. He felt dirty and completely aroused again at the same time.

He definitely needed a shower.

Adrien seriously contemplated confiscating Plagg's cheese in retaliation for the knowing smirk that hadn't left his kwami's face all through morning rituals and drive to school.

He didn't know if he felt relieved or stressed to discover that Marinette hadn't arrived yet. Usually he loved her chaotic entrances, but today…. his body shivered in remembered anticipation.

Everyone who entered the classroom made him jump, causing Nino to raise an eyebrow in his direction. Flashing his best friend what he hoped was a reassuring smile, Adrien busied himself with getting out all his supplies for the class and rearranging them several times.

"Dude, seriously. You need to chill out." Adrien wanted nothing more than to chill out. He wanted his brain to shut off the replay and his blood to settle in proper places of his anatomy other than the one it insisted on. Testing his forehead on his desk, Adrien suppressed the uncomfortable groan that tried to break free.

Quickly-timed footsteps echoing through the hall outside the room brought his head snapping right up in time to see Marinette slid into the room. Her cheeks flushed from the run to school, the pink tinged her cheeks just enough to remind him of her mask. She back-peddled when her eyes connected with his, the flush turning to a brilliant red.

He felt like his gaze devoured her, hungry to see her for real. She was just as adorable in real life - with her Ladybug inspired pigtails instead of mouse buns and her wide blue eyes. Small and perfect. The voice in the back of his head wondered if she would feel just like his dream if he held her body against his, if she would make those wonderfully alluring squeaks…..

Tearing his sight from her, he forced his attention to the teacher, trying not to let his brain wander off where it desperately wanted to be. A lost cause. His ears strained to hear every whispered word between Marinette and Alya, every shift in her seat, every scratch of her pencil.

"Adrien?" Her timid voice pierced through his rambling thoughts, causing him to whirl around to look at her. She jumped back, blinking, at the suddenness of his movements. God, the blush on her cheeks was beautiful. Had he ever noticed the splattering of soft freckles underneath it before or the little flecks of dark within the blue of her eyes or how soft her lips looked? Lips that were moving. Words?

Cussing to himself, Adrien gave himself a mental shake and forced himself to listen to what she said instead of what he imagined the words to be.

" - project after school?"

Project? He searched his brain for what she was talking about, sliding his eyes to Alya who beamed with something that looked surprisingly like pride. Nino just had one eyebrow raised in his direction with a glance that conveyed a level of concern.

"The project that Ms. Bustier just assigned us? Partner research? She teamed you up with Marinette?" Nino's words cut through the haze, forcing him to look back at his newly assigned partner. His hand wandered up to his neck as he rubbed it awkwardly.

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

Marinette stared at him like he was a wild animal going to eat her. To which his brain supplied a rather inappropriate but not completely undesirable response.

"I didn't sleep well last night. I guess I'm more tired than I thought." _I was busy dreaming of you in a mouse suit. _

Berating himself for the scrambling of his brain, he shot her a well-practiced smile. Thankfully, she seemed to relax a little under his gaze. She really was adorable.

Clattering of the bell sent everyone scrambling to their feet, gathering up their books and heading out the door. Adrien followed suit, agreeing with Marinette to talk after school about the initial plans for the project that he still had no idea about. He held the door open for her as they left the classroom, admiring the soft blush that framed her eyes again as she squeaked by him and out in the hall.

Cursing his own personal commentary, he fought with himself. If he was in love with Ladybug, how could he be so distracted by Marinette? Even if she was the cutest mouse ever.


	2. Mousetrap

His eyes drifted back to Marinette over and over throughout the day, studying the planes of her cheekbones and jaw, the elegance of her neck, the sweetness of her smile, and the plethora of emotions that her eyes could convey. He found himself enraptured by the way she passionately flailed her arms as she spoke and chuckling to himself at her familiar awkwardness when she accidentally tripped on the stairs. While one portion of his brain dreamed of how soft her skin would feel beneath his fingers, he found himself wondering how Ladybug had chosen her for a Miraculous.

Nino's elbow in his ribs brought him out of his thoughts, turning to find his friend giving him a glare.

"Dude, if you don't stop staring at Marinette, she's probably going to stop breathing." Adrien blinked, unsure what to say to that. Gritting his teeth, he mumbled apologies and forced himself to stare at his notebook instead of the girl that haunted his waking dreams.

By the time the final bell rang, Adrien felt more in control. His dream had been a one time, over-tired, subconscious play on the fact she'd been a mouse and he lived a good portion of his life being a cat. He was sure of it. Determined to return their interactions back to their usually complex state of normal, he pushed the door to the library open and stepped inside. Marinette sat at a table, a delightful frown on her face as she stuck out her tongue in focus on the sketchbook she frantically drew in.

He made his way to the table, sliding into the chair beside her without breaking her concentration. His soft chuckle broke her out of it, causing her to let out the cutest "eep" he'd ever heard in his life as she jumped.

"Oh Adrien," she gasped, clutching a hand against her chest in a gesture he was sure intended to calm her heart. He forced himself to keep his eyes on her face, tried not to think of how much those breathless words affected his entire being, smiling as he leaned closer. The smell of her was intoxicating - a complex combination of sweet scents that completely represented her. Did she taste as sweet as she smelled? "You surprised me."

"Sorry," he breathed, trying to just be with her without acting and thinking like a creep. "So tell me about this project. "

* * *

By patrol, control returned to him. His meeting with Marinette left him on edge, the need to curb all the frustratingly impulsive desires creating mental exhaustion on top of everything else. He almost hoped that Hawkmorth would attack so he could just let his body use up all the pent-up energy. Fencing provided an outlet to which he threw himself. Kagami had been impressed by his focused and aggressive fighting tactics.

Ladybug's arrival calmed his head. Comfortable and familiar, he revelled in their banter and lighthearted flirting. The patrol itself was uneventful other than the exhilarating rush that always accompanied their race across the rooftops. But the best moments were when they sat side by side overlooking Paris after it was over and could just talk.

"Any chance we'll have a night to actually sleep tonight?" Ladybug asked, leaning her head against his shoulder in a way that made his heart sing.

"I really hope so," he admitted, settling his head against hers, stifling a yawn that threatened. "I could really use a good night's sleep." She hummed in agreement. He breathed her in - safe, calming, right. Beside her, his heart and brain were at peace. Mostly at peace.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," he said suddenly, curiosity gnawing at him. Ladybug's response was extreme, stumbling backward in a way that felt oddly familiar and completely out of character for his partner.

"What?!" she screeched, clutching at the knees she brought to her chest with white knuckles. He frowned at her unexpected response.

"Marinette. I was just wondering how you chose her to use the mouse miraculous." Ladybug let out a long breath, uncurling herself to eye him suspiciously.

"Well, we needed some creative help. She seemed like she would do a good job." He nodded. She had done a fantastic job. They owed her quick thinking to their success.

"She was pretty cute as a mouse," he sighed, leaning back on his arms to stare up at the stars. Ladybug chuckled softly, scooting back to sit beside him.

"Have a thing for mice, kitty?"

"I AM a cat, milady. But my heart belongs only to you."

"Silly kitty."

A yawn escaped him, causing her to shoo him off into the night to attempt to get some sleep. Hopefully tonight Hawkmoth would sleep too.

* * *

His feet slammed against the concrete, pushing him towards the grating noise in the middle of the city with a growing sense of urgency. The alert had been a jolt to his system, dragging him from his heavy sleep and forcing him to transform more on instinct than on intention. A click echoed through the streets as he slid into the open space of the Trocadero.

The sight he found left his jaw wide open as he attempted to figure out what exactly he was looking at. A contraption of some sort, elaborately laid out throughout the square. His gaze found the start, where a heavily-mustached, rotund man dressed impeccably in a suit with vest and bowler hat stood with his hand on a handle. He cranked it slowly, preparing the attached gear to shift teeth into the one that connected with it. Another click echoed, sending Chat's eyes searching for the path. The gear was slowly shifting a long lever, waiting for the release to snap it against the next waiting part of the complicated machine.

He vaulted himself into the sky for a better view, frantically wondering what this akuma was doing. Eyes followed the path of the rig, getting lost and having to backtrack several times as he looked for the end goal. Finally, he could see it - a small domed cage sitting on the ground, trapping someone inside. Above it dangled something huge he couldn't quite make out.

There was a loud clattering noise followed by the distinct sound of something rolling. A dark coloured ball rattled down its path, knocking into the edge of the turns before moving the other direction. Whatever the machine's goal was, it had begun.

Lunging himself into action, he rolled to the ground and raced towards the cage, determined to free whoever was trapped before the machine made it to the end. He froze for a moment as he observed the person huddled inside, quivering.

"Multimouse?" he muttered, confused to see his classmate in a cage. A mousetrap? Her head snapped up, finding him instantly. He could hear her sigh of relief from where he stood as she scampered to the edge of the basket.

"Oh, Thank God, Chat Noir. Help me, please." She clutched the bars of her jail in desperation.

Motioning for her to step away, he jammed his baton against the seam and attempted to lever it off her. When it didn't even budge, he wondered where his partner was, checking to see the progress of the machine. Each segment of the complicated process brought it closer to that end. Looking up, his heart sank to his stomach. Hovering above the cage was a monstrously huge slab of metal. Without a doubt, its intention was to flatten the cage and anyone in it.

The ominous rolling sound came to an abrupt end as it crashed into a tall metal pole. The movement jerked another part of the puzzle, sending something falling through a hole and knocking a see-saw like structure. It was too close to the cage, too close to Marinette being squashed under a pile of heavy steel.

It was too late for elaborate plans. He needed to save her now, listening to the sound of chains rattling above them.

"Please, Chat," Marinette pleaded, fingers stretching for him through the cage bars, driving him to madness. A single shout for his power pulled the darkness into his hand before he thrust it against the bars, feeling the rush of destruction seeping from his fingers as the cage crumbled to ash.

Suddenly, Mulitmouse was wrapped around him, limbs coiling around his body and neck in desperation. He stumbled backward, curling himself around her as the metal beam plummeted to the concrete. Teeth rattling at the vibrations it caused, he waited for the dust to clear a moment before spinning to discover that there was nothing left of the cage other than a crater beneath the metal.

Too close. Too close for the sweet little mouse who panted in panic against his collarbone.

Too close. She was too close, her body still wrapped about his with her face pressed into his neck. Sudden awareness of her position against him sent warm shivers up his spine. He dropped his arms from around her so she could stand on her feet. She didn't move.

"You are safe now, MultiMouse." She responded to the roughness of his voice by darting out her tongue and dragging it slowly up the skin of his neck and the line of his jaw, heavy breath in his ear. His heart stuttered.

"My hero," she whispered, weaving her fingers through his hair and pulling it gently. Bringing her lips an inch from his, she froze, leaving his sight filled with nothing but the deep blue flecked eyes of the stunningly beautiful Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

At first, he tried to fight it, whatever this pull was on him towards her. He loved Ladybug, so this couldn't, shouldn't happen. He felt confused until she flicked her tongue against his lips. With a growl, he attacked her mouth hands slipping to hold her thighs. Surely Marinette wasn't this forward, this brazen, this - wonderful?

A sharp pain in his side made him break the kiss with a gasp. Followed by another, and another, Chat's grip on Multimouse faltered, faded, disappeared, leaving a confused Adrien mostly awake in his room. Another jab brought him upright, only to reveal Plagg at his side, glaring in the dark.

"Stop dreaming so loudly. I can't sleep."


	3. LabRat

The dreams didn't stop. If anything, they were getting worse. Or maybe they were getting better. It was getting hard to tell as images of smooth skin and memories of intimate moments surfaced into his every day thoughts. Embarrassment gnawed at his subconscious treatment of his friend while lust fuelled his dreams and guilt about dreaming of the wrong girl left him anxious every time he joined Ladybug.

The lack of sleep made it hard to focus, both in and out of the suit. His father reprimanded his exhaustion with cold disconnected words. Ladybug stared at him with concern while Nino straight up offered to adopt him into his family.

Then there was Marinette, her ever adorable and scatterbrained self, rambling over her words and turning into a flustered mess whenever he spoke to her. Torn between wanting to keep a safe distance away and needing to be close enough to touch her, he tried to keep his carefully poised facade of sanity. He didn't know how long he could keep playing this dangerous game. He used his time with her on their project to memorize her features and catalogue the little sighs and startled squeaks she made. His fingers brushed against hers under the pretense of accident, causing her to jump and stare at him with wide blue eyes that made him want to kiss her.

Adrien couldn't figure out why his dreams were of the cutest mouse in the world instead of Ladybug, nor of the ever increasing need to imagine her without the mouse suit. It was a challenge not to stare at the real live version of her every single day and not enact the very thing he dreamt of. The lines between reality and fantasy started to blur together.

Imagined akumas blended together with real ones, his actions sluggish and slow in battle. Dream Multimouse's face merged with Marinette's.

He was going crazy. That was the only solution he could think of. This was a thousand times worse than nightly akuma battles.

Plagg offered no insight or advice other than to suggest cheese as a less volatile option than women, leaving Adrien with his head in his hands and no clearer answers.

"Spill it," Ladybug demanded after nearly a week of Chat's stumbling patrol efforts.

"I can't sleep," he admitted. Far too intuitive for her own good, she waited with that look he knew far too well. The look that demanded a better explanation. Exhaustion made it seem like maybe his lady could offer some kind of suggestion even though he was mortified.

"I keep dreaming of Multimouse." That caught her off-guard, her eyes popping wide.

"Multimouse?" she echoed, extremely puzzled.

"Ya," he breathed, allowing himself to flop on his back to lay on the rooftop. "Every time I go to sleep, she pops into my dreams. It's like she's stuck in there or something."

Ladybug said nothing for a while, simply standing still. He watched out one eye, closing the other. It seemed like she was giving herself some kind of pep talk. He could see her clenching and unclenching her jaw muscles with determination. Then, she sank to the rooftop beside him.

"So, is MultiMouse the girl of your dreams then, kitty?" Smooth, unexpected, perfectly executed. 10 out of 10. One of many reasons that he loved her. The laugh that burst out of him was all real and all raw, too tired to attempt to keep it in.

Her fingers brushed at the bangs of his hair as her joking smile turned to one of worry.

"Want to talk about it?"

Did he? He didn't know. His brain felt like it had melted and left behind a record of thoroughly wonderful indecent behaviours. Frustrated hands scrubbed at his face as if he could somehow purge the images from his mind's eye. Throwing an arm over his eyes, he fortified himself with a deep breath.

"It's like I can't stop myself. Like a cat who chases mice because it's instinct. It's - strange." His voice cracked right then, driving his self-awareness to the stars. Ladybug's soft hum did nothing for his confidence.

"So you are chasing her in the dreams then?" she pried.

"Not exactly." A long, tired sigh escaped him. "I've saved her from akumas a few times so far. They are always really complicated and strange ones too. And you are sadly not there to help me solve it, my lady." He could practically hear her eyes rolling. "The problem is… she - I - we keep - uhh - and - well, we kiss and uh….." His face was on fire. He was going to burn up in flames and be nothing but a pile of extremely embarrassed ash.

"Oh," Ladybug whispered, not saying anything else. With nothing left to lose, Chat sat up suddenly.

"The worst part? I KNOW her. I know Marinette Dupain-Cheng and she's sweet and funny and kind and I have no idea why my brain is doing all of this! I can't even look at her without feeling like I'm a terrible person for dreams I have no control over. Especially since I love you, Ladybug. I only want to dream of you."

When he finally allowed himself to look at her, he had no idea how her eyes hadn't fallen out of her head. She stared at him, unblinking, for far too long, making him desperately wish that he'd just kept his mouth shut.

"Ladybug?"

"You know Marinette?" she whispered finally, pulling her gaze from his to stare down at her gloved hands twisting in her lap. Realizing he'd given away a clue of his identity in his sleep-addled rant, he winced.

"Uh, sort of? I mean, I've met her a few times?" She didn't seem to believe him, narrowing her eyes as she looked at him again but she didn't push for details.

"And, you've been dreaming about… kissing her?" His response was a nod because he didn't trust his voice. Kissing and other things, but Ladybug didn't need to know about the flashes of memories set him on fire for a whole other reason than embarrassment.

The longer Ladybug sat there thinking, the more the reality of the conversation hit him. Maybe the roof beneath him would suddenly open up and swallow him whole. Why didn't Hawkmoth attack right now when he needed something to stop this horrible conversation? He never should have said anything.

When she placed her gloved hand on his arm, he jumped.

"You're not a terrible person, Chat. Boys dream about girls. It's totally normal. Multimouse is pretty cute." Ladybug grinned widely, winking suddenly. Chat groaned, flopping to the rooftop again with his arms over his face.

Ladybug snuggled in beside him, resting her face on his chest.

"Maybe you like Marinette," she offered. "Maybe you should talk to her." He just grunted in response. He didn't know if he could do that without dying.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He froze, not wanting to blurt out the instant comment that popped into his head. If he had actual memories of kissing Ladybug instead of imagined ones with Marimouse…. No. Ladybug was far too important to him to ask her to be a mental makeout catalogue - no matter how appealing that was.

"No, Milady. I just need some sleep." Without a nearly naked mouse.

* * *

An actual akuma pulled him from the midst of a particularly steamy dream, leaving Adrien frustrated and uncomfortable as he groggily transformed and raced to meet Ladybug.

She didn't seem impressed about another night time akuma herself, a frown on her face as she watched him wobble on his feet.

"Let's get this fixed quickly, Chat. You need to sleep." He didn't have the energy to argue, the wanton ghost of lips and hands haunting his every step.

Hawkmoth's champion was a scientist who, by every appearance qualified for a "mad" designation: hair spiked askew, labcoat with name badge clipped to a pocket, and an oversized beaker full of bubbling green liquid. Chat knew that if he had encountered this akuma at any other sane time of his life, he would be rifling off more amazing scientific puns than Ladybug could even handle, but sleep deprivation left him simple in a hurry to go back to bed. A needy mouse awaited for her kitten to play.

Shivering with want, Chat forced himself to focus on the matter at hand - not the hands in his dream.

"Science you're out and about, care to share your hypothesis?" He called out, sliding down his staff to meet the Akuma head on. By now, he knew his role in his sleep (which was a good thing since he basically was asleep.) Distract akuma. Wait for Ladybug to do her thing. Destroy something. Pound it.

The mad scientist turned to face him, the keep look of excited curiosity crossing the brilliantly glowing eyes beneath the safety goggles.

"Oh, Chat Noir. How nice of you to volunteer!"

"Yes, yes. I know I am nice. Now, can we just have your akuma and call it a night?" Chat purred, watching Ladybug spinning her yo-yo in the edge of his vision.

"I am tired of the night shift. Running results and filling out paperwork that the day shift should have done. I don't get to do any of the fun."

Shifting slightly, Chat tightened his grip on his baton as the rambling akuma moved closer to him.

The attack, when it came, was unexpected. A loud clang echoed through his ears as a small cage instantly snapped into place around him. Panic filled him as nightmares became reality. Trapped, he smashed his staff against the bars without success.

"I never get to run the tests, Chat Noir. I love tests. Thank you for volunteering to be my lab rat."

A small hatch opened and the science akuma dropped in a few drops of the green ooze from the beaker before snapping shut again. Sizzling against the bottom of the cage, it released a gas that coated the inside of his throat as he tried to breathe. It made him cough, filling his nostrils, his eyes, and burning along the exposed skin of his face.

"Leave my kitty alone!" Ladybug's voice rang out, the whirring of her yo-yo a familiar comfort as he tried to clear his lungs. As the gas dissipated, he could see his partner engaged in battle with the scientist. The cage still stood tight, leaving him on edge.

A loud shrill cry of his name sent him whirling about to find its source. There, just out of reach on the outside of the cage was Marinette - no, Multimouse - held around the throat with something green, eyes filled with panic as she screamed at him to help her. His heart leapt to his throat as she squirmed to break herself free.

Was this a dream? He frowned, trying to make sense of everything going on. Ladybug had never been part of his mouse dreams before. All the akumas had simply… vanished … when he'd saved Multimouse. So maybe this was real. Maybe the girl on the other side of the bars really was Marinette and she needed him.

The next scream of his name propelled him into action, cataclysm already bubbling on his fingers before he consciously called it. The bars shriveled to ash, freeing him from the cage. His feet propelled him straight to MultiMouse, tearing the green from her neck with a snarl. Grabbing her around the waist, he raced away from the battle.

The mantra of "save her, save her" ran through his head as he carefully placed her on the ground. Was she real? The real Marinette? She seemed real. The feeling of her against him felt real. The blue of her eyes as she stared up at him looked real.

A hand touched his shoulder causing him to hiss and slash out with his claws as he spun to face whatever had reached them, throwing his body in front of Multimouse. Shame and relief flooded him as he discovered Ladybug, hand still outstretched.

"Chat?"

The concern in her voice made him freeze, meeting her gaze with a frown before she tossed her yo-yo up to release her miraculous ladybugs. The rush zipped past him, leaving him dizzy and confused, sinking to the ground with his head between his knees. Multimouse vanished as the ladybugs did their thing.

Ladybug crouched beside him, giving him room.

"Everything ok?" It really wasn't ok. He wasn't ok. He just needed to go home and pray for sleep. Her earrings chimed a warning, but she didn't even budge.

"I'm losing my mind," he muttered, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. An arms slithered around his middle an instant before he heard the familiar whizz of her yo-yo launching them into the air. She landed with a soft thud on a nearby rooftop before he felt her lean him against a chimney wall.

"Stay here, Kitty. I'll be right back. Need to recharge. You do the same." As if her earrings heard her, they chimed again in reminder of her quickly vanishing time limit. He let himself rest against the wall, his body too tired to do much more than flop as she vaulted over the chimney. The dark sky lit up in a brief flash of pink.

"Detransform," he whispered, watching Plagg emerge from the ring in a blur. Although his kwami wasn't one to really show his affection, the look of concern that crossed through the little black's glowing green eyes made Adrien feel loved. Tossing Plagg a chunk of cheese to recharge, he mulled over what Ladybug had planned. He hoped she didn't want to talk again. That had been embarrassing enough the first time.

One the other side of the wall, he could hear Ladybug whispering to her kwami and then another flash of light as she transformed back. Plagg looked exasperated when Adrien transformed back, but thankfully didn't say a word.

A shuffle brought Ladybug close beside him, sinking to sit next to him.

"You need some sleep," she said. HIs yawn agreed with her assessment. "Come here."

The next thing he knew, Chat found his head cradled gently in her lap, her gloved fingers stroking his hair. A soft purring noise escaped him - one that he usually would try to hide, but now…. He didn't care. His lady was comforting him and he couldn't be bothered to care. Every muscle in his body relaxed under the gentle caress of his head.

"Sleep, kitty. Get some rest." He couldn't stop his eyes from closing if he wanted to.

* * *

Mornings typically consisted of loud alarms and scheduled steps through ritualistic routines, so when Chat opened his eyes to find himself still transformed on a rooftop as the sun peeked over the horizon, he took a moment to panic. If Nathalie found him gone when he should have been in his room….. His sudden jolt to sitting caused his pillow to groan. Ladybug. At some point in the night, she succumbed to sleep, slumping over onto the rooftop.

"Ladybug, wake up! It's morning!" She groaned again, arm flailing about as if she was looking for a lost comforter to pull over her head.

"No, Papa. I don't want to get up. Just five more minutes." He laughed in spite of the situation.

He shook her gently. "No, Bug. Wake up, or I'll start with the puns."

To that, her eyes snapped open. He watched in amusement as she woke up, frantically scanning the rooftop and stopping to stare at him.

"Oh no. It's morning!" She jumped to her feet, pulling her yo-yo from her hip before pausing. "Did you get some sleep, kitty?"

He smiled, pulling her hand to his lips in his familiar gesture of romance. He had. In fact, he slept more soundly than he had in a over a week.

"Thank you, Milady. I appreciate the cat-nap." She smiled - a beautiful, wonderful, good morning smile before swinging away into the sunrise.


	4. Mini Mouse

Ever since his dreams had started, every glance, interaction, and conversation that Adrien held with Marinette had been awkward. More awkward than usual, which seemed a challenge given that Marinette's natural state was similar to a skittish kitten. Or maybe she really was a nervous mouse. He smirked at the thought, climbing out of the car in front of the school.

Today, he intended to change that. Hold a simple conversation with his adorable classmate without allowing his mind to descend into the gutters and, hopefully, without her running off in a panic.

She was late, as always, skidding into her seat just moments before the morning bell and rambling to Alya about the dangers of sleeping in. He chuckled quietly as the class began, appreciating how normal it felt. How normal he felt. Amazing what a good chunk of sleep could do for a person.

School dragged on, leaving more space for him to mull over exactly what he wanted to say. "Hey Marinette. I have been dreaming of you lately and I wondered if you wanted to make out?" seemed not to be a good choice.

By the end of the day, he could barely control the nervous bounce of his knee or his imagination going wild with daydreams he knew he shouldn't be having. Kagami berated his exceptional lack of focus during fencing, something he accepted without guilt. He was distracted.

Finally, the door to his bedroom closed, leaving him both trapped and free at the same time. Plagg disapproved of the constant pacing and words that really should have been an internal monologue, choosing instead of perch on the desk with his collection of Camembert for snack. Soon he could head to her balcony and they could talk. Or kiss. Or… more.

Jumping at the sound of the akuma alert from his phone, Adrien scrambled to find out where he should be before lunging out his bedroom window mid-transformation. Taking a brief moment to appreciate the beauty of the sunset that left Paris awash in an orange glow, he slid down his baton to land beside Ladybug. She whirled her yo-yo on the defensive, frowning in frustration.

"What is it, milady?" Her frown deepened, eyes flickering around the space they stood in.

"I'm not really sure. Something feels off."

He scanned the road, wondering where exactly the akuma lay hidden. There didn't even look to be anything wrong - no screams, no mad rush of people trying to escape, no unusual aftermath - not even a sign of the monster itself. Just a peaceful evening in Paris streets.

Ladybug, however, remained crouched and ready for an attack, frantically searching the street. That set him on edge more than the nothingness going on.

Suddenly the lamp post beside him vanished. Staring in surprise at where it used to be, he noticed that it wasn't gone, but simply stood in miniature, like a toy. No wonder Ladybug stood tense and nervous. If things like lampposts could shrink, could people shrink too? In a space of a few seconds, the buildings along the street transformed into a collection of the dollhouses.

"Where is it?" Chat yelped, shifting his stance to stand back to back with his partner.

"I don't know! I can't see where it's coming from. Things just keep going small!"

Ladybug's cry of "Lucky Charm" rang out through the streets, a sure sign of her worry. She rarely used her special power right away. Glancing over his shoulder to see what kind of unique and potentially helpful item she received, he eyed the small red spotted plush mouse with confusion. A mouse cat toy? What was she supposed to do with that? Ladybug simply stared at the toy for a moment before a soft smile pursed her lips and her fingers coiled around it. Spinning to face him, she paused for a moment before looking him straight in the eye.

"Stay safe. I'll be right back."

Flinging herself onto the rooftops with her yo-yo, she disappeared.

Retreating to where he hoped was safe, Chat watched in a combination of amazement and frustration as buildings around Paris became tiny. The Eiffel Tower itself stood no taller than Chat's knees. Were families in those houses, sitting around a table eating a meal when suddenly they were zapped by whatever force this was? Were they all safe? Sudden worry that he might hurt people with his heavy boots made him stay observing from the safety of an unaffected rooftop.

He hoped Ladybug would hurry.

Keeping his eyes on the areas of Paris that fell under the akuma attack, he noticed a small prick of light before each building resized. Could that be their monster? How could they save someone from Hawkmoth's control if they were so tiny? A perplexing problem for sure.

Footsteps behind him drew his attention to where his partner made her return.

"Welcome back, milady," he purred. "Now that you're back, I'll stop sweating the small stuff."

She shifted nervously beside him before turning with an arm outstretched.

"Chat. I think you have to do this." A familiar style jewellry box rested on her palm, waiting for him to take.

"Go find Marinette. Give her the Miraculous of the Mouse. We need her for this akuma. The mouse can multiply itself, shrinking to small sizes and getting into places we cannot. I think you are supposed to give it to her, not me."

He blinked, trying to understand even as he reached to take the box from her. What did she mean? She was giving him a Miraculous to choose a teammate? His heart leapt at the rush of excitement that sign of trust offered.

"But you said she couldn't -" A wave of her hand cut him off.

"I know. Things change if we need it. Go. Get her. I will wait and see if I can find a solution to this akuma."

The weight of the box in his gloved hand suddenly felt heavy. The responsibility she gave him not only affected their ability to beat this mysterious akuma, but also gave him the opportunity to spend more time with Marinette as Multimouse. Swallowing hard against the nerves of excitement that fluttered under the surface, he nodded in understanding before taking off to find their new partner.

The bakery wasn't far, just far enough to bring his nerves to the forefront. Pausing on her balcony, he questioned the wisdom of his actions. Fingers rapped against the glass before he could talk himself out of it. His heart pounded in his chest as he waited, hoping that Marinettte would appear from inside the hatch to meet him. Nothing happened. She didn't answer. Disappointment threatened as he stood up and tried to think of what he could do next. Not knowing where she was made for a big disadvantage when he needed to hurry.

The view from her balcony offered a clear view of Paris' disappearing skyline. He needed to find her. Maybe she was in the bakery.

Marinette's parents eyed him warily when he burst through the doors of their shop unexpectedly. Seeing that she wasn't with them, he sheepishly rambled excuses of an akuma before backing out the door. What could he do? Ladybug was out there somewhere, trying to stop an akuma they needed Multimouse for and he couldn't even find her! She could be practically anywhere in the city. Maybe he could check Alya's house.

"Chat?"

Whirling to the sound of his name, Chat found Marinette running towards him across the park beside her home.

"Is everything ok? Are my parents ok? Someone said there was an akuma." Always one to care for others. He couldn't help but smile at her.

"Yes. I -" They were in the open, not the place to share his request. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her into a hidden alleyway out of view before continuing.

"Marinette, we need your help with an akuma. I'm giving you the power of the mouse miraculous so you can join us. When the battle is over, you will need to return the necklace to me. Will you accept?"

An emotion that he couldn't quite place flashed in her eyes before she took the box from his hand. Taking a few steps away from him, she placed the necklace around her neck. The action drew his attention to the soft circle at the base of her throat. Would the pulse of her heart leap beneath his lips as he made his way up her neck?

The sound of her voice calling his name again brought his gaze snapping up to her eyes in guilt.

"Everything ok?" Marinette asked, tilting her head to examine him with eyes that were far too knowing. He nearly broke right then - his mind's eye already stomping across the space between them and ravaging her as he longed to do. Instead he just nodded, clenching his fist against his leg in a violent self-reminder that this was reality and he couldn't just claim her.

The mouse kwami was similar in size to Plagg, but with oversized pink-lined ears that gave it a delightfully sweet appearance. Marinette smiled at the mouse before calling for her transformation. The swirling of pink ribbons surrounded her, pulling her hair up into the adorable buns and covering her face in the mask that haunted his dreams. As the jump rope tightened around her waist, a look of recognizable determination flashed through her features.

"Ready!" she shouted. Timidly he put his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him as he stretched out his baton to head to the rooftop. Her arms instantly wrapped around his neck as she gasped at the sudden upwards movement. Already his brain was registering all the things he didn't want to - the feel of her curves pressed against him, the sound of her breath in his ear, the smell of her bakery-fresh sweetness. No, he needed to concentrate on the task at hand. A silent intentional reminder to focus swam through his mind while they vaulted to where he'd left Ladybug.

A quick survey of the area revealed nothing except for more dollhouse sized buildings across the cityscape. Ladybug was gone. Had she been trapped by their opponent? The thought of his partner brought his attention back to Multimouse still caught in his grasp and the twinge of familiarity that holding her caused. Fingers twitched against her hip wantonly.

"How can I help?" she muttered, causing him to search the small version of Paris more closely.

"I think the akuma is something tiny. We couldn't see it. I saw a little flash of light before things started to shrink. I know you can do your thing and find it. After all-" he paused as she glanced back up to him, his voice caught in his throat, "good things come in small packages."

Instantly, Multimouse stepped away from his grasp, a soft blush on her cheek. She untangled the rope from her waist, twirling it around as she yelled, "Multitude." Before his eyes, she began to shrink - dividing into many different versions of herself - before they took off at a run into the small buildings. One single version of herself remained, gesturing wildly with her arms.

He placed his hand on the rooftop beside her and watched as she climbed on. Slowly he pulled her to his shoulder where she nestled against his neck.

"Can you hear me?" she called, the sound of her voice tickling his ear. When he nodded, she started to talk, telling him what her team of mini mice were up to. Gently, he sat down, wondering what, exactly, was his part in this akuma and where Ladybug had vanished to.

Paris, it seemed, was quickly being transformed into a toy town, houses to doll houses and people to poseable dolls. Everything resized and frozen in time. Multimouse and her team raced from place to place, searching for some kind of answer or clue about who exactly was causing the problem.

The MultiMouse on his shoulder described everything she could see, painting the picture clearly in his mind.

At one point, she gasped loudly before letting out a pained cry of "no!" Sitting on the sidelines wasn't his thing, especially when MultiMouse came up against some conflict. He itched to protect her, to keep her safe, visions of the terrible akumas in his dreams settling into his memories.

She finally spoke again, explaining that one of her team had found the akumatized man. He called himself Dollmaster - waving a set of tiny tools in a way that shot out a flash before his victim turned to a doll. That mouse was now little more than a statue, stuck waiting to be rescued. Chat hoped Ladybug was safe somewhere.

Other members of the mouse team crept towards the Dollmaster, sneaking up and surrounding him unaware. One somehow managed to pull the tools from his grasp and the team escaped, running through the dollhouse like buildings to where he sat.

MultiMouse on his shoulder gasped again.

"Oh no, Chat. It's Ladybug. She's -" MultiMouse made a nervous sound that brought his heart to his throat. "She is a doll…. The akuma must have found her. Hold on, I have an idea."

He didn't know what was happening, his hands sweating beneath his gloves. His lady had been caught by the akuma and he failed to protect her. MultiMouse too - although only part of her. He felt a hollow pit forming in the base of his stomach at the feeling of failure.

Small mice scrambling up the side of the building and into a group drew his attention. Miniature versions of Marinette as a mouse huddled together until they the flood of mice stopped. One held out a tiny hammer towards him.

"We need you to break it." MultiMouse said, pointing to the tool. He frowned. Releasing the akuma without Ladybug was a bad plan. But he had no idea what other option they had.

A small hand pressed against the side of his neck and the words, "Trust me, Kitty" came softly. He called for Cataclysm, touching the hammer with only a fraction of his small finger. The black butterfly broke free, fluttering like crazy into the air.

"Mullo. Tikki. Unify!" The cry was unexpected. One of the small versions of MultiMouse turning her pink accessories red with black dots. A tiny yo-yo flung into the air, clasping around the butterfly before it escaped. Purified and white it flittered away silently into the twilight.

Another cry for lucky charm brought the return of the mouse cat toy, which the little mousebug threw into the air with Ladybug's patented shout for her ladybugs. Paris whirled in a flash of red, buildings and people returning to normal before his eyes.

Relieved at their success, he watched in fascination as the pieces of herself were pulled back together to form the full sized version of MultiMouse. Spotted earrings chimed from where they sat in her ears. It seemed like it should feel wrong to see the earrings on anyone else than Ladybug, but he felt strangely calm. Her fingers pulled them from her ear lobes, Tikki tumbling out.

"You did a great job, MultiMouse." Tikki crooned proudly. "I will take the earring back to Ladybug." Tikki grabbed the earrings in her tiny paws before smiling at Chat Noir.

"Hi, Chat. Can you take MultiMouse home? I will go look after Ladybug." He nodded as she flew away.

His eyes followed the kwami until she faded from view, turning his attention to MultiMouse. She stood fidgeting with her jumprope belt, a move so classically Marinette that he couldn't help but smile.

"Ready to go home?" he asked, charming smile flashing as he stretched out a gentleman's hand. She took it timidly, squeaking in the most wonderful way as he spun around and placed her on his back. "Hold on tight!"

As soon as he said it, he regretted it - her legs winding around his middle at the same time as her arms locked around his neck. Her body pressed against his back with her face tucked into his hair. Gritting his teeth and steeling his thoughts, he pushed them off the building towards the bakery.

His ring flashed in a warning, but he ignored it, listening instead to the soft giggles she squealed with each dip in their arcs. Lightheaded with unexpected feeling, his feet landed heavily on her balcony.

"It was mice to work with you today, MultiMouse," he purred, feeling her slide down his back to the ground. She laughed. A twinkling little sound that sounded like music. Turning around, he watched as she transformed back to Marinette in a rush of pink - her hair sliding back to her familiar pigtails and the mask dissolving from her eyes. The light trailed down her kissable neck, her elegant arms, her tantalizing waist, her beautiful legs… His ring chirped again, dragging his mind from the dream world to where Marinette unclasped the necklace from her throat. It dangled in the air between them for a moment before he mindlessly pulled it from her grasp.

"You ok, Chat? You seem off today." She looked sincerely concerned, stepping closer to him in a way that made his breath hitch and heart jump. Danger alarms sounded in his head. Forcing himself to smile a very controlled smile, he nodded.

"I'm fine, Marinette. Thank you for your help today." She didn't look convinced, taking another step forward until there was barely air between them. He pressed his hand hard into his leg, the tips of his claws barely noticeable through his suit, trying to keep himself from tangling it into her hair. What was wrong with him? This mouse, this classmate, this friend, this wonderfully creative and caring girl, this beautiful princess who stared up at him with the bluest eyes he had ever seen - she deserved better than a horny teenage cat boy who could barely control his hormones. But God, he wanted her. Wanted her more than his dreams could allow. Wanted her to be his in every way. Why had he never realized how much he loved her before?

Love? He blinked in surprise.

Stunned by the revelation of his thoughts, he did little more than freeze when she slipped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest in a hug. He responded almost robotically - arms holding her tight in return, pressing his nose into the softness of her hair and breathing in the smell of her. She pulled away at the sound of his ring and he instantly mourned the loss of her.

"Good night, kitty," she whispered, stretching up on her toes to press a kiss against his cheek. Warm, soft, wonderful.

Bowing at her, he tried to calm the rapidly out of control rhythm of his heart. "I should go. Need my identity to remain anony_mouse_ after all." With that, he offered a salute and forced himself to jump from the building, his motions fluid with familiarity. With only two minutes left of his transformation, he raced across Paris to his home on auto-pilot, focused instead on a jumbled mess of thoughts. Slipping through the window, Plagg dropped onto the bed with a groaning beg for cheese.

Camembert kept the kwami quiet - something which Adrien felt incredibly thankful for as he moved through his night-time routine. What did these thoughts mean? These feelings? Did he truly love Marinette? Or was this something way more complicated than caring for his friend? What about Ladybug? He loved her, too. The feelings he had for her were straight-forward. Simple, even. He loved his lady with all his heart, so what was this confusion with Marinette / Multimouse?

He replayed the events of the evening in clarity. Marinette had been amazing - saving Paris from a villian that he couldn't even see in relative ease, even managing to wield both the mouse and ladybug Miraculous - something that should have been exhausting for someone new. She knew exactly what to do and how. He realized now how he always admired her, how comfortable he felt around her, how much he always wanted to be close to her. He loved her flustered chaos and determined strength. She was funny, caring, encouraging - and he loved her.

Throwing himself into bed, visions of Marinette Dupain-Chang in a tight grey and pink suit pressed against him did nothing to stop the flood of thoughts that knocked against his carefully built dam. The memory of her warm kiss on his cheek left him wishing for more.


	5. Say Cheese

His dreams supplied the more that he craved. There was no pretense of saving her, no confusion of a complicated akuma, nothing other than her and him and the cool breeze of the night air on her balcony. The kiss on his cheek turned to kisses of passion. His suit faded, giving his fingers the chance to appreciate the feel of her skin. Her clothes became the soft pajamas that he longed to see again, hair falling from the ribbons to pool around her shoulders.

Stumbling into the lounge chair, he pulled her down with him, grunting in satisfaction when she straddled his lap and leaned against his suddenly shirtless body. Her hands left burn marks, singeing his skin as she trailed them along his chest, his collarbone, his arm muscles, before making their way up the back of his neck to bury themselves in his hair.

She wanted more. He wanted more. More of her. More of this. Fingers slid under the edge of her tank top, splaying happily against the smooth skin of her back, pressing her even closer to him. She was beautiful. Shy flaming crimson on her cheeks added to the beauty.

The throaty humming noise she made when a purr rumbled through him fueled it more, making it louder. Squirming as she giggled, he gasped at the sensation. Without thought, his hands were on the curves of her bottom, grinding her against him in a way that made him want to groan in wonderous agony.

This is what he wanted - hardness against softness, their short panting breaths mingling together, the taste of her on his tongue. Desperation and longing. Gasps and moans, frantic paces, and wild heart beats. Declarations of love spoken without words. This is all that he ever wanted.

* * *

"Did you talk to her?"

Chat's eyes snapped to Ladybug, guilt flooding him at how his memories replayed his dreams. A curious eyebrow peeked over the top of her mask while she looked at him. He knew his face was on fire, thankful for the mask that covered most of it.

"Or did you do more than talk?"

"No!" he yelped louder than he intended, leaving Ladybug to burst into laughter.

"Oh kitty. You've got it bad."

He couldn't help the scowl that made its way to his brow or the narrowing of his eyes in her direction. She laughed louder, sitting beside him on the roof and resting her head on his shoulder. The turmoil he felt on the inside settled - just like it always did when she was near.

"I honestly have no idea what's going on. It's like my brain is melting, I swear. My heart has always been yours, Ladybug. I love you. You are strong, brave - amazing. You are my best friend and I trust you with my life. Forever. But… Marinette. I think I love her too. She's sweet and kind, creative, funny, and honestly she cares about everyone. I can't stop thinking about her." His voice trailed off as the confusion of all his thoughts crashed into each other. With a sigh, he dropped his head into his hands and just sat.

Ladybug said nothing, just leaning on him in quietness.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't mean to dump this on you."

She placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"Chat - you can always talk to me. Always." She shifted slightly, pressing her lips against his cheek. An action that not that long ago would have set his heart into a gallop but now felt just…. peaceful.

For that he was thankful.

* * *

Cheese. Why did the akuma have to be about CHEESE? Chat could practically feel Plagg quivering in anticipation within the suit and, for a brief moment, he debated transforming back to his civilian self to let his kwami deal with the situation. Instead, he kept his eyes on his partner.

Despite her efforts to hide it, he could tell something was wrong. The tension in her face, the stiffness of her movements. She wouldn't respond to his jokes or directly worded questions, instead grinding her teeth together in determination. He did his best to distract the monster, dodging and rolling away from the spray that turned people around the city into lumps of cheese curds. He couldn't get close enough to do any real damage or figure out where the akuma hid - the smell combined with danger of being turned into cheese keeping him at bay.

Seeing Ladybug collapsed on a nearby rooftop, Chat threw one last attempt to find the hidden butterfly before retreating to the rooftop himself. Keeping low and out of sight, he raced to where she'd fallen, quietly calling out her name.

"Here," she called back, her voice surprisingly tired.

"Where are you hurt?" For a moment, he thought she would be stubborn and refuse to answer, but she sighed, body relaxing against a chimney stack in defeat. She pointed to her hip, shifting to keep her weight off it.

"But I can still fight, I just need a minute to-" He cut her off with a gesture.

"No. No way. We aren't going to do that. We are getting help." She sighed again, a sure sign of her injury.

"Fine. I'll go get Rena." She shifted again, wincing. Chat tried to put together a plan. Rena was a great part of the team, for sure, but what purpose could her mirage serve in this situation? Carapace too - other than possibly stopping the villain from turning him into a puddle of disgusting cheese. Viperion could reset the timeline, which might be handy, but still didn't help Chat get close enough to the monster for anything useful. Mentally, he ticked off each member of the team other than Multimouse.

With her ability to shrink small, she might be able to get close while unseen as he kept the akuma distracted. There was a possibility that the smell of cheese might not even bother her. The more he debated it, the more it made sense. Helping Ladybug to her feet, he held onto her wrist for a moment longer than needed.

"Let me get Multimouse."

Ladybug just blinked at him.

"That's complicated, Chat. I don't think it's a good idea."

"It's not because of…. THAT…. I promise," he pleaded. "I honestly think that she's the best option for this fight." She listened as he quickly explained his reasoning. Finally, after much silent contemplation, she agreed.

"Ok, let me go get the necklace. I'll leave it on her balcony and message you." He nodded, letting her go. She swung away awkwardly, leaving him to frown in worry.

The Curdler continued his way down the streets of Paris, loudly protesting his disapproval of cheese connoisseurs. Chat watched from his perch, hoping he wouldn't need to step in before Ladybug's call.

_Ready _.

The chime of her message sent him off into a run, wide strides sending him in the direction of Marinette's house. This time, he held no nervous reservations as he knocked on the window.

A loud fumbling crash from inside her room, followed by a yelp made him rip open the hatch and stick his head inside. Marinette lay on the floor in a heap, fabric scattered around her in abstract art.

"Oh, Chat. It's you." She pushed herself to her feet, wincing slightly before scooping up fabric into her arms. "Caught me off guard and I tripped down the stairs. I'm so clumsy sometimes." She chuckled nervously. "Is everything ok?"

His mind froze, seeing her standing in her bedroom with the very same skinny-strapped pajamas featured in most of his wild fantasies. No. This was business. He needed professionalism and manners.

It took two tries to clear his throat and make coherent words with his voice, but finally he succeeded, offering her the necklace with hope. She smiled as she accepted it, quickly transforming to MultiMouse. Once she appeared through the hatch to the balcony, he reached for her waist. Being near her set him on fire, even as he pulled her close.

Her hiss of pain when he tightened his grip made him jerk back in surprise.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"I must have gotten a bruise when I fell. Happens all the time. So clumsy." She clasped her hands around his neck, scrambling onto his back.

"Let's go, kitty."

He needed her. The akuma required her special skills as MultiMouse, but he still hesitated. Ladybug had gotten hurt and now Marinette too? Could he trade one for the other knowing they weren't 100%? Hadn't he demanded Ladybug take a time out for the exact same reason that he struggled with right now?

"Stop thinking, Chat. I am fine. Paris… not so much. Trust me. Let's go." Decision made, off he burst, chasing down the Curdler with ease.

MultiMouse slid from his back to the street, dividing herself into many parts before she headed off in a scurry. Chat threw himself into action.

"Hey cheese head, miss me?" A stream of liquid shot his way, narrowly missing his head.

"Guess you did! Better try again."

Chat kept his antics fast and flexible, carefully avoiding the goo sent in his direction. MultiMouse's team easily scampered their way closer while Chat continued his distraction methods. He could see one or two of them slowly making their way up the outside of the victim's outrageous costume.

Suddenly, the Curdler glanced down at his pant leg where on of the mice clung helplessly. A swift jerk of his leg sent her flying through the air.

"Say Cheese!" yelled Chat, stretching his baton to its full length before swinging it like a bat in the man's direction. It landed a hard blow, forcing the Curdler to splutter and sway.

The retaliatory splash of liquid hitting him directly in the chest left Chat wide-eyed with surprise. Cheese. He was melting into gelatinous clumps of cheese.

* * *

"Chat! Wake up, please! Please!"

Hands shook his shoulders to bring him out of whatever daze he was in. Opening his eyes, he found worry blue ones wrapped in a soft pink and grey mask peering down a him.

"I think I am asleep still. I can see an angel," he muttered, changing the look of worry into one of relief.

"Ok, now that was cheesy." She wasn't wrong. "Thank goodness."

Sitting up, he noticed Paris' return to normal, a distinct lack of cheese smell, and that he now sat on the top of a tall building, well out of view from the street.

"What happened?"

Launching into a Marinette style rambling, she explained that he had been turned into cheese while she had discovered the akuma in the Curdler's pocket - a swath of cheesecloth crammed into his jacket like a pocket square. She had stolen it, delivering it to where Ladybug stood waiting. She purified the akuma and set things right before asking MultiMouse to take care of him. Ladybug left the message that she was going to be fine and to meet her for patrol later. He just shook his head with a smirk, knowing exactly how stubborn his partner could be.

"When I saw you get turned into cheese, Chat…." MultiMouse's voice trailed off as she hesitated. In a flurry of movement, she wrapped herself around his neck, pressing her lips against his in a chaste and trembling kiss. It happened so fast, he didn't even have time to respond before she pulled away, blushing.

"Sorry. I just…."

He didn't give her time to finish, instead taking hold of her face and pulling her back to him. Warmth. That was the one thing that pierced through the addled mess of his brain. Her lips were warm against his, even just pressed together in this level of innocence. Right here in this moment, this was reality. He was kissing Marinette Dupain-Cheng for real. For REAL.

He didn't know what to do next, especially when she sighed against him and her fingers timidly brushed against his hair. He wished his fingers could feel the skin of her cheeks. He wished he could do all the things his dreams supplied. He wished so many things. Instead, he pulled away, placing a soft kiss on the end of her nose while his heart beat so ferociously that he knew she could hear it. Her eyes opened slowly as she came back to the moment.

"I'm not sorry," he admitted, trying to control the tameless urge to kiss her again, to do more than just press her lips against his own. For a moment, he thought maybe she would kiss him once more but instead she leaned forward to rest her forehead against his chest. His arms slowly wound around her, holding her steady.

Time stopped, the only noise a soft sense of breath between them.

"Take me home, kitty."

With a fortifying breath, he pulled his staff from his back, scooping her up in one arm and launched them from the building. She said nothing as he vaulted them over the rooftops, her face tucked against his neck where she clung for support.

At the safety of her balcony, she slid out of the grasp around her waist, hissing slightly at the contact with her hip. Quiet words transformed her back to Marinette, necklace dangling in between her fingers. When she finally looked at him, he felt his heart plummet into his feet. Unshed tears twinkled against the blue of her eyes. Had he pushed too hard, expected too much? Replays of the kisses flashed through his mind as he tried to figure out what would have brought her to tears.

"I'm sorry, Marinette. I didn't mean to make you upset. I-" She shook her head, thrusting the necklace towards him.

"No, Chat. It's not you. I just - I can't do this anymore. Please don't ask me to be MultiMouse again." She paused, waiting for him to take the Miraculous. "I don't want to hurt you." He almost didn't hear the whispered words, spoken as she lowered her eyes and turned away to reach for the hatch. "Ladybug said to leave the necklace in the place you found it."

No. No! His mind scrambled to understand what was going on. It had only been minutes ago that he'd felt her lips on his and revelled in reality for once. He couldn't let her just leave. He loved her. Even if he couldn't tell her that.

His hand reached out and loosely grabbed her wrist, silently begging her to stay with him. She paused only for a moment before turning back to look his way.

"No, kitty. Please go home."

Then she was gone, slipping into the skylight and into her room.


	6. Cat and Mouse

For the first time in many nights, he couldn't sleep. The image of the tears in her eyes haunting him more than any of the dreams he'd had before. His brain merged the idea of blue and water together, sailing him off on a sea of salty tears that he couldn't fully understand.

Plagg just yowled for more cheese until finally Adrien gave in, pulled the sheets over his head and refused to move. Why tears? Why had Marinette been sad about what had happened today? It felt like whiplash the speed of the afterbattle emotions - from her relief that he was ok, to the kisses that were so much better than any dream, to the tears in her eyes. What had he done wrong?

He stared at the circular necklace pressed in his palm with dismay. Marinette made an amazing superhero - quick thinking, nimble, smart. They needed her on their team. The thought of putting the necklace back into the box and not letting her use it again gave him a hollow feeling. The vision of a pink and grey mask flashed into his mind. He needed the mouse almost as much as he needed Ladybug.

Ladybug. He never checked if she was ok. Sighing, he curled his fingers against the necklace. Hopefully she wouldn't be mad that he kept it for the night. He would return it at their next patrol.

The sky was dark long before he fell asleep, a fitful mess of chaos stirring within his heart.

* * *

MultiMouse wiggled deftly out of his grasp with a soft laugh and a twinkle in her eye, dancing just out of reach. A soft giggle escaped her as she leaned in close.

"Catch me, kitty." Then she was off and running, squeaking in laughter as his claws slid against her side in an attempt to capture her. Lithe footsteps carried her over the Paris rooftops under the pale moonlight, glinting off the soft tones of her superhero costume in a way that made her look almost ethereal. She paused a few rooftops over to glance back at where he still stood, sticking her tongue out in his direction before throwing her head back and laughing.

He felt his muscles yearn to pounce, his eyes narrowing in on his prize. Still he waited, holding himself steady l as she darted off into the distance. A mouse always got the headstart.

"Here, Kitty, Kitty!" she called, wiggling her perfect bottom in a way to make her jump rope tail twitch. Then he was moving, lunging into the night on hands and feet, clawing his way across the building tops in a wild, playful chase. The gap between them closed as he loosed his muscles into a relaxing sprint, the thrill of the hunt pulsing through his veins. Squeals from his prey as she attempted to clamber out of reach pushed him forwards, leaping across the remaining distance to land on her tail.

She yelped in surprise, tumbling backwards into his arms. In a gesture better suited for a classical dance floor than the rooftops of Paris, the tumble turned into a deep dip, bending her over Chat's arm. Slowly, so slowly, he slid his hand up her back to bring her closer. He could feel her shiver against him as her body melded together with his - the feel of her heart beat hammering against his own. Her arms circled his neck, her hands playing with the edges of his windblown hair. A breath of distance remained between them, eyes locked as they sank into each other's souls.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips, the warmth of her words shooting down his very being. The fleeting sensation of a kiss faded into the night as MultiMouse dissipated to nothing.

The sing-song sound of his name being called in the middle of nowhere left him spinning around looking for the source.

"Here, Kitty, Kitty."

"Ladybug?" he called back, not seeing much of anything despite the night vision his cat mask offered. The response was a soft giggle fluttering past - as if she was just out of reach of his grasp and happy that way.

"Oh, Cha-at." Closer. The voice was closer, forcing him to spin around. Marinette's face near his faded off in a wisp. Marinette?

"Adrien!" a soft call from another direction drew his attention to a faint outline of Ladybug in the distance. He took a step towards her as she vanished and another voice giggled nearby. Pink and grey flashed only for a moment before another call of his name. The cycle repeated over and over.

Red. Pink. Pigtails. Buns. Ribbons. Laughter. Glimpses of all three one after another in a way that left him confused and unsure of what exactly he could see. Louder. Louder. Giggles and laughter and names. He felt dizzy, staggering as he spun to try and find something tangible. Something real.

Collapsing to his knees, he forced himself to close his eyes and focus instead on breathing. Breathing was easy.

The hands that touched his hair felt real, too, bringing his attention to whoever stood over him.

"Open your eyes, Adrien. It's me."

Marinette. Blue eyes that pierced his soul. A smile that made his heart sing. Pigtails that brought him happiness. Marinette.

She crouched low to bring her face to his, hands still on his hair.

"It's me."

Her lips on his were fire. Desperate. Yearning. Like her soul was calling to his in a way that he couldn't fully understand. Need drove him forward, gently pushing her onto her back so he could press against her. Against all of her. The gasp she gave as he ran his tongue up the riotous pulse of her neck made him growl. Hands tangled into his hair, she whimpered at his touch against the skin of her waist.

"It's me." The only words she spoke as he ran his hand down her side, pulling her thigh over his hip to get closer. So much closer. The words made no sense, and he didn't even care as her breath hitched against his ear.

"Look at me, Adrien."

Lifting his face, he blinked in confusion as Marinette's features were obscured by Multimouse's soft mask. His mouse. His sweet, adorable mouse with the soul-calling blue eyes. He couldn't control the responding purr in his chest, nor the way his body rocked against hers. He wished his suit away. Wished her suit away. But they both stayed wrapped in the mantle of their superhero selves even as he heard her whisper his name. Even when she arched against him. Even when her fingers clawed at his shoulders and his mouth moved with hers.

"Kitty. Please." He couldn't think, motions fuelled by passion and need, faster, closer, pressing her deeper into soft grass that appeared from nowhere. He didn't know what she begged for. Couldn't understand.

"Chat!" Her throaty cry as she shuddered against him drew his attention back to her face. Eyes no longer shrouded in the soft tones of MultiMouse but the brilliant red spotted mask of Ladybug. He froze in surprise, brain struggling to change direction..

The hands that had been tearing into his shoulder blades slid to his cheeks, allowing Ladybug to pull him back to her. He was slow to respond, making her roll her eyes.

"It's me."

Then she vanished into nothing, leaving him standing alone in the middle of a field, dazed and confused as he watched a tiny mouse scurry away through the grass.

* * *

His hands tangled into his hair, pulling in a way to remind him he was finally awake. Images of Marinette, MultiMouse, and Ladybug melted together into one, over and over.

"Plagg," he growled, poking the black kwami asleep on the next pillow. Plagg barely cracked open an eye, irritation at being woken up evident on his miniature features. "Is Marinette Ladybug?"

Plagg didn't answer, stretching lazily with an oversized yawn. Adrien resisted the urge to poke the cat hard in the stomach out of frustration.

"Tell me."

Plagg paused for a moment, before floating off the pillow and hovering just out of reach.

"Marinette is that Mouse you have been dreaming of. I bet your dreams are just mixing them up. Now I am going to have some cheese and then go back to dreaming about more cheese." The thought of soft cheese at this time of night made Adrien's stomach churn. Flopping on the bed, he stared into the darkness above him.

Maybe Plagg was right. His dreams had been a mess of confusion for weeks. Maybe he was just merging them together in his dreams because they were the two most important girls in his life. It made some sort of sense, he supposed.

He fiddled with the ring on his hand for a moment before picking back up the mouse necklace. Funny that such a small thing could turn his dreams upside down. Turn HIM upside down.

Confusion welcomed him even when he tumbled back into sleep, invaded by dreams of Ladybug shoving him against the cold metal beams of the Eiffel Tower, running her hands down his body in a way that left him twitching with need only to have her mask fade and reveal the face of Marinette. Of MultiMouse's grey skin-tight suit vanishing into the soft pajamas he loved to slide his hands beneath. Of Marinette bathed in a wash of pink glow that sometimes gave him his lady and other times gave him his mouse.

He woke to his alarm groaning in deprived desperation, wanting but unable to have. A cold shower did little against his exhausted imagination. Neither did Nathalie's disapproving glare at his snappy responses. In truth, all Adrien wanted now was to avoid anything to do with Marinette or MultiMouse or Ladybug until he could figure out exactly what was going on with his dreams.

But duty beckoned. Sliding into his seat, he rested his head on the desk trying to unsuccessfully keep his brain from running off on its wild adventures.

Until she arrived.

Then he couldn't think, do, or look at anything else. It was like magic how his eyes were drawn to watch her every moment, every breath, desperate to find a sign that somehow his mouse was actually his lady. Her eyes met his as she walked by, instantly dropping as red flamed across her cheeks.

His heart thrummed in excitement at the idea that this girl - this beautiful, wonderful girl that he loved could also be the girl that he had loved since the day he'd first seen her. But first, he had to know for sure.

Before, he'd used restraint - carefully controlling his actions and words around her when all he could do was dream of kissing her senseless.

Now, he held nothing back.

He loved to watch her unravel whenever he intentionally placed himself in her personal space, whenever his hand managed to find a way to touch her, whenever he held her gaze and spoke directly to her. Stumbling over her words and feet, catching her breath in surprise, with eyes so wide he could almost fall into them.

His mind replayed every conversation they'd shared, trying to pull some evidence from them to her identity. Realization that he never watched her closely when an akuma attacked, too focused on the need to get away and transform on his own, made him frown. Maybe she had been trying to get away too.

Whenever they managed to be alone together, he pushed harder - letting his inner Chat come through in the form of safe puns and silly jokes. Her soft laughter made him smile but it was the eye roll - that wonderful, familiar, completely disapproving eye roll which left him gaping. Every fiber of his being screamed that he'd uncovered the truth. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the wielder of the Mouse Miraculous, was also none other than Ladybug.


	7. Year of the Rat

Three days. Three days of fighting with himself, of disbelief and wonder, of staring at pigtails and soft pink lips that he want to taste again, of Nino's elbow jabbing his side, and Alya's suspicious glare. Three days of staying as close as he dared to Marinette, of keeping her within arm's reach, of aching to run his fingers through her hair, of telling her that he knew.

Three nights of scattered dreams with frantic kisses and whispered pleas. Three nights of tantalizing curves beneath his hands, of polka-dots and pajamas, of skin and squeaks and cries of desire in his ears. Three nights of passion that woke him in a cold sweat and in need of a shower.

In some ways, Adrien wished that he could just go back to simple dreams of a cute girl in a mouse costume. But instead, he found himself crossing the unspoken boundaries with Ladybug and her identity. The need to know with absolute certainty forced his hand, sending him hopping into the night to perch hidden across the street from a familiar rooftop balcony in enough time for observation.

Patrols usually began at a designated meeting place, allowing them both to transform in secret and arrive in unidentified safety. But tonight - he was going to wait and watch. If Marinette Dupain-Cheng really was Ladybug, she would need to leave from her balcony. So, he waited.

The hatch opened with five minutes until meeting time, Marinette appearing from within. Although he strained to hear, distance kept him from understanding whatever she spoke with wild animated arm movements. But his enhanced sight made it easy to see her favourite pajamas - the ones from his dreams - before she was enveloped in a brilliant light that transformed her into his beloved Ladybug. When her yo-yo whizzed past and hooked to a nearby chimney before she swung into the night, he pressed himself against his hiding spot, closing his eyes to remain hidden.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

When she vanished from view, he allowed his legs to give out, crumpling to the rooftop. He could hardly believe that the curse of the black cat would ever allow him the wonder of falling in love with the same girl twice. He needed time to breathe. Time to focus on what this meant and how exactly he was going to handle telling her. Because there was no way he couldn't tell her now.

He didn't know how long he sat there trying to calm his erratic breathing and excited heartbeat, but the ringing of his baton startled him to his feet and sent him running. Ladybug's worried voice sounded over the speaker, asking where he was. He simply breathed an apology and clicked it closed in time to vault over the night sky to their meeting place.

There, standing on their favourite rooftop, stood Marinette Dupain-Cheng in the red suit with black spots he had long been in love with. Marinette's eyes stared at him through the spotted mask. Marinette's voice asking him if everything was ok. Of course it was ok. It was better than ok. It was perfect. She was perfect.

"Dreams again?"

She had no idea. Somehow he managed a crooked smile that soothed the worry from her face.

"Ok. Let's go."

Trying to think of anything while soaring over the city of Paris in pursuit of the girl you love wearing a tight red spandex suit as a Ladybug, who sometimes moonlighted as the most magnificent mouse to his cat….. was nearly impossible. His brain had long since gone on vacation, imagining catching Ladybug mid-swing and landing in a dark corner together. He wanted to do so much more than kiss her, but he simply followed along behind her and admired the curves of her suit for the thousandth time.

Distraction caused his feet to clip against the edge of an eavestrough, sending him tumbling across the flat stone, sprawled out under the stars. Ladybug took only a moment to return, doubling back to his location.

"What happened?" she asked, her yo-yo winding around her waist so she could reach down a hand to help him to his feet. "You seem very off tonight, Chat. Go home and go to bed."

Somehow he managed to bite his tongue enough not to mutter that he'd rather take her home to bed, simply nodding instead with a soft apology before scampering off into the night.

* * *

Spinning around, Chat wondered why he was standing inside a police barricade near the Eiffel Tower. It felt familiar. Thoughts popped into his head as he scanned up the tower to see Stoneheart standing between the braces with Mylene in his grasp. The first akuma victim. This was when - he turned to look at Ladybug cowering nervously beside him, ashamed of her own new hero failures as the face made out of butterflies spewed doom over Paris. Ladybug needed his encouragement to have faith in herself. That's what made them a team.

It was the same this time as it had been the first, that overwhelming sense of amazement at her bravery and courage despite the worry she'd had only moments before. He loved that girl. As ladybugs rushed throughout Paris in the aftermath, he stretched out to reach for her, pulling her close.

"I love you," he breathed.

The fresh smell of rain filled his nose a moment before the crash of thunder rattled the air, his hand outstretched to hold an umbrella. Large blue eyes stared at him from the other side of his grasp. He smiled at her as he waited for her to take it from him, her fingers grazing his in an electric shock that bolted straight to his heart. He blinked in surprise as she stepped forward to grasp the edge of his shirt.

"I love you," she sighed.

He threw the banana costume to the side as MultiMouse merged back to her full size, his ring safely back on his finger. She shot him a blinding smile before he strode the few paces to cover the space between them, grabbing her close as he told her he loved her.

Flickering candles on a rooftop under a full moon. "There's a boy." And then she kissed him.

Sitting on a school bench. "It's about a girl." And then he kissed her.

Snuggles on a train. Laughter on a rooftop. Picnic with friends. Over and over and over, images of moments together drilled through his dreams, waking him to a single thought.

Marinette loved him back.

* * *

Adrenaline fueled every step he took running from the school to the bakery, heart pounding more from excitement than from the breakneck speed. Thankful that Madame Cheng shooed him out of the bakery and up the stairs, he galloped up them two at a time. His hand froze for a single moment before banging furiously on the door.

A click sounded the opening, revealing Marinette. His Marinette. He didn't know if he could breathe anymore. Her eyes opened in surprise at his morning intrusion.

"Adrien?" She gestured him in more out of habit than desire, their eyes locked even as he brushed past her into the house. "What are you doing here?"

"I have to talk to you," he whispered, voice cracking under the emotions that he attempted to keep controlled. As she gently closed the door behind her, he took a deep breath. He could do this. He could.

"I need you not to freak out, ok?" Her already wide eyes blew even wider, although she nodded. Grabbing her hand, he dropped the mouse miraculous necklace. "You told me to put this back where I'd found it, but I thought I'd return it to you directly instead."

Other than a slow eye drop to the necklace in her hand and then back to his face, Marinette didn't respond at all. She simply stood there, frozen, with her mouth open slightly, her face paling to a shockingly light tone. He wasn't sure that she was breathing, lost somewhere in her mind. Gently, he placed his hands on her cheeks, stepping closer.

"Breathe, my lady. Just breathe."

Stuttering gasps for air escaped her as she continued to stare at him in shock. Slowly, he ran his thumbs over her cheekbones in a soothing caress, reminding her to breathe.

"I don't understand," she whispered finally.

"Remember the dreams I've been having? The ones with a cute little mouse that I couldn't stop kissing?" He smiled as she flushed at his words, her eyes still locked with his. "Those dreams showed me that my sweet little mouse was also my brave hero, Ladybug. You, Marinette. They showed me you. All of you."

He waited while she processed, slow blinks bringing her to understanding.

"You're Chat Noir? My Chat Noir?" Her Chat Noir. A purr rumbled through him and he didn't even care. When he nodded, she let out a long sigh as tears slowly welled up in her eyes. He wiped them away with his thumbs.

"I love you, Marinette."

She let out a happy sobbing laugh.

"I love you too, Adrien."

And then he kissed her because there wasn't much else to say.

* * *

Scanning the Paris skyline in the twilight, Chat shuffled back and forth from foot to foot, trying to not accidentally tear the red paper of the small gift he held. She was late. He searched the rooftops again, eyes finally settling on a red spot quickly moving towards him. Ladybug. He couldn't help the smile that broke through the nervous frown, nor the way that his heart leapt in excitement.

She landed softly beside him, looping her yo-yo onto her waist with casual ease.

"Hey, Kitty."

He would never get tired of her nickname for him. Never. Her beautiful smile took his breath away every time.

"I have a gift for you," he said, forcing himself to stay focused on the task. With two hands, he passed her the small red box. A blush on the cheeks betrayed her confident stance, taking the present with a small murmur of thanks. Carefully she peeled the paper to find a small box. Inside lay a tiny ring in the shape of a mouse. Little paws and snout peered over one side of the ring with a tail curling up the other side. The moment he saw it, he knew it had to be hers - a quiet nod to his little mouse.

She squealed softly in admiration before stretching up on her toes to press a kiss on her cheek.

"It is so adorable, Adrien. I love it."

"Happy Chinese New Year," he grinned, wrapping his arms around her. "Year of the Rat. A whole year to appreciate the mouse that you are under the bug costume." A costume he already fully appreciated caressing under his claws. She shivered at his fingers dancing up her spine before placing a finger to his forehead and gently pushing him away.

"I have a present for you, too, my kitty. Close your eyes and don't peek." He pouted playfully, making sure his lips stuck out in an exaggerated fashion. She frowned, tilting her head to the side in a lighthearted scolding. "Do it!"

He smirked as he squeezed his eyes shut, hands pressed into his eye sockets to avoid peeking. The only sounds he could hear were shuffling and barely spoken words he couldn't decipher.

"You can open your eyes now."

MultiMouse stood in Ladybug's place, a familiar pink and grey suit and mask replacing the red and black. He felt his body react instantly, pulse thrumming through his veins in heightened excitement.

"Catch me if you can, kitty." Her eyes twinkled as they flashed him a dare, her feet taking off at lightning speed. He groaned watching her leap fearlessly between buildings, his muscles tensing in anticipation. Time for the cat to catch the mouse.

She squealed when he did, pouncing on her with wild eyes and a wicked smile. He claimed his prize in the form of a kiss, his lips wandering down the line of her jaw while the hand on her back pulled her closer, even closer - melding her curves against him in a way that made it hard to think of anything.

Soft squeaks and breathless gasps at his touch left him whirling, wondering if this was real.

"So, kitty," he heard her voice breathe against his ear. "Why don't you show me what you were dreaming about?"

A feral growl was his only response as he happily complied.

* * *

**_AUTHOR: _**

_Happy Chinese New Year! :)_

_Man it's been fun to write this and to read all your comments along the way. Thanks so much for joining me! :D As usual, thanks to CaptainMalcomReynolds for being my sounding board / beta / cool writing friend and for laughing with me at all the random double entendres that kept popping up. ;)_

_I admit, this story was way out of my usual writing style and I have a new appreciation for real smut writers, let me tell you!_

_More writing coming soon, I promise. :D I appreciate all your encouragement!_


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